On September 10, 2001 I ate dinner in suburban Chicago with a member of my sales team whose territory I was visiting. We ended up debating religion and politics, which was as much a mistake then as it would be now. I woke up early the next morning, used the hotel workout … [Read more...] about How 9/11 brought me to a more local life
How Cleveland Heights is – and isn’t – dealing with juvenile crime
I met Cleveland Heights Police Chief Jeffrey Roberston for the first time last week, and he changed my mind. And then didn't. We were in a community meeting, organized by City Council Member Bonita Caplan and attended by a small group of concerned citizens – mostly from the … [Read more...] about How Cleveland Heights is – and isn’t – dealing with juvenile crime
Before the city council elections, let’s define ‘excellent’
If you want to get a rise out of a Cleveland Heights City Council member, float the suggestion that our city government is just OK. For example, several weeks ago – in the aftermath of the Coventry flash mob and an unrelated violent assault near Lee Road – I sent a note to … [Read more...] about Before the city council elections, let’s define ‘excellent’
Fly in the ice
In the kitchen, on the top shelf of the freezer, in the ice cube container is a fake, plastic ice cube with a fly embedded inside. It's a cheap gag my son brought home from Big Fun on Coventry a couple years ago, when he was going through his practical joke phase – which I'm … [Read more...] about Fly in the ice
Fighting fire with fire: Why a curfew isn’t the solution
On June 26, a “flash crowd” of teens that allegedly gathered through the use of social media, ruined the end of an otherwise idyllic Coventry street fair. Three days later, Cleveland Heights City Council held an emergency meeting and passed a new curfew that bans unaccompanied … [Read more...] about Fighting fire with fire: Why a curfew isn’t the solution
